What I'm Hearing

Covering recruiting in the weeks leading up to National Signing Day is absolutely crazy. Getting confirmation on anything -- visits, where a recruit kid may be leaning -- is next to impossible because so many things change from one moment to the next. You basically make hundreds of phone calls to ask questions and write about things recruits and the colleges they are considering are not only tired of talking about, but really prefer to keep quiet.

Alas, I've decided to preface all of the info I provide from here on out on recruiting with this little intro ... What I'm hearing ... in other words, it might change.

LIUGET UPDATE: I spoke to Hialeah coach Mark Berman this afternoon regarding highly-touted defensive tackle Corey Liuget, who recently told several recruiting websites Miami was in his final three. Turns out, Berman said Liuget was busy hosting several visitors Thursday at school including two coaches from LSU, the entire defensive staff at South Florida, Bobby Bowden and several defensive coaches from Florida State and a few coaches from Rutgers. All four of those schools are scheduled for in-home visits today. Illinois and Ron Zook are schedueld to visit Liuget tomorrow. I asked Berman when UM was planning a visit and he said he hadn't heard from UM since Tuesday. Berman told me earlier this week Liuget recently had a close friend who was shot and killed in the parking lot outside of a 7-on-7 flag football tournament and said it could be a sign for Liuget to leave town. When I asked Berman if he thought Miami still had a chance to get him, he said "I don't know. I think so." Berman said he told Liuget to spend time this weekend jotting down positives and negatives about the schools he's considering and to get back to him with an answer by Sunday. "I feel bad for Corey, he's in la-la land right now," Berman said. "He's got so much on his mind. This is going to be a real difficult decision." Berman said thinks Liuget will wait until NSD to announce his decision at school at 9 a.m.

WILL ICE FOLLOW BRANDON?: There's been a rumor floating out there for a long time that Booker T. Washington coach Ice Harris could end up following his son, highly-touted cornerback Brandon Harris, to the school he ends up choosing. Harris (who is still set to visit the University of Central Florida this weekend) told me Sunday night his leaders were UM and Ohio State. Back to the Ice rumor... I spoke to Ice Harris Thursday afternoon about the rumor of him following his son and he said while it would be "a blessing" if he could end up getting a college job "anywhere," it could be difficult for him to find one because he still does not have his college degree (a requirement for assistant coaching positions). Ice Harris is still taking online courses with the University of Phoenix and could finish within a year. Ice said Randy Shannon and UM are supposed to visit with the Harris home tonight.

JONATHAN JACKSON SITUATION: Harris isn't the only player at Booker T. Washington the Canes are after. Defensive end Jonathan Jackson, who had 3 1/2 sacks in the Class 4A state championship game for the Tornadoes, is a kid the Hurricanes made a push for late in the game. Apparently, though it was too late. Ice Harris expects the 6-3, 215-pound defensive end to stick with FIU, who has been recruiting Jackson all season. "I think he's going to be set with FIU," Harris said. "He's not visiting UM. I think once he went on his recruiting trop to FIU and established that relationship with Coach Cristobal, he feels like he fits them better and what they're looking for. He's the type of kid that he knows he can come in as a freshman and provide leadership and start from the get-go."

WEST COAST RECRUITS: As many of you know the Canes are in the running for a pair of Long Beach Poly California defensive backs Vaughn Telemaque and Herman Davidson. I spoke to Poly coach Raul Lara Thursday afternoon who told me Telemaque is supposed to have his announcement broadcast regionally on TV tonight at 1:30 a.m. (EST). Telemaque's finalists are UM, USC and Oregon -- and the Trojans are expected to come out the big winners. Lara said Davidson, who will choose between UM and North Carolina, will wait until 5 p.m. (EST) on NSD to announce his college choice.

HERE'S SOME VIDEO OF HERMAN DAVIDSON I FOUND YOUTUBE...

KICKOFF CLASSIC: Lara and Harris both confirmed Thursday that their teams will be participating in one heck of a preseason high school kickoff classic Saturday, August 30th at FIU. According to both coaches, their teams will be part of a three-game showcase presented by Nike at FIU's new stadium. Long Beach Poly is supposed to take on defending national champion Miami Northwestern. Booker T. will play Odessa Periman (Tex.) -- the school the show Friday Night Lights was based on. And Pahokee, the Class 2B state champions, are supposed to take on a team from Tennessee. "It was supposed to be us against Northwestern and St. Thomas against Booker T.," Pahokee coach Blaze Thompson said. "But St. Thomas already had another game scheduled. We're still not sure who we are playing, but its going to be a great night for high school football."